Variable-speed mechanism.



PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

H. M00. NORRIS. VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

S wewtoz No. 820,984. PATBNTED MAY 22, 1906.

- H. M00. NORRIS.

VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 14, 1965.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wlhwoou No. 820,984. PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

I H. M00. NORRIS.

VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.14.1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

31 mentor,

Witness atkowu d.)

UNITED STATESPATENT' OFFICE.

HENRY MCooY'NoaRia-or CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE PIoKFoan DRILL & TOOL COMPANY. OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A;

CORPORATION VARIABLE-SPEED MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

T wl whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY MoOoY-NoR- RIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Variable-Speed Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. g My'invention relates toa variable-"speed mechanism, the principle of which is broadly covered by my' 'prior patent, No. 787,392, of

, April 18, 1905 but my present improvement enables me to produce similar results with,

' producing a compact but am le range s eed-box.

The eatureso my invention are more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, forming. a part of this invention, in which fewer parts, thereby Figure 1- is a front elevationof my improved speed mechanism. Fig. 2 is a section on line a; as, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a section on line 1 y, Fig. 2. 4 is a section on line 'w w, Fig.1. Fig. 5 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan viewJof one of the geartransmitters withawl-and-ratchet mechanism in osition. is adetailed sectional viewo the tumbler-shifting mechanism. Fig. 8 is a sideelevation of the secondary. clutch.- shifting mechanism. Fig. 9is a View similar tov Fig. 3, showing a modification.

1 represents the casin ,in which are journaled the driving or tum ler shaft 2, the-gearcone shaft 3, and the driven shaft 4.

5 represents the driving-wheel onshaft 2. 6 7 8 9 10 represent the usual cone of gearwheels fixed to shaft 3.- 11 represents a tumbler-lever sliding on shaft 2.

12 represents a pinion carried by the tumbler-lever 11, adapted to turn with and slide 1 on shaft 2.

13 represents a tumbling-gear journaled on the outer end of lever 11, intermeshing con- 45 stantly with pinion 12 and being adapted to enga e selectively any one of the cone of gear- .whee s as the tumbler-lever is'inanipulated.

The front of the casing is provided with an opening 14, through which-projects the leverhandle 15, the lower wall of the opening beingpreferably provided with the notches 16 for ed on shaft 4 and intermeshinglwith one of the'cone of gear-wheels on shaft 3, say, earwheel 6, of relatively greater diameter. (learwheel 17 is provided with a clutch-face to cooperate with the clutch member 18, slidably splined on shaft 4.

19 represents a lever-handle for throwing said clutch. p

20 represents a lock for said clutch-shifting lever (see Figs. 2 and 8) consisting of an ordinary spring-actuated detent-pin engaging into notches in the end of the lever.

21 represents a gear-wheel loosely mounted relative to shaft 4 and adapted to be connected to and disconnected therefrom by automatic clutch mechanism which will be later described. Gear 21 is intermeshed with cone 'gear'-wheel 9, which may be of the same or relative lesser diameter.

' in my said former patent, I provide a slowing-up device between shafts 2 and 3, whereby when the tumbler is raised shaft 3 is slowly driven by shaft 2, permitting the slowly-revolving gear-wheels to be safely intermeshed, and whereby when the intermesh is effected the slowing-up device is automatically thrown out of commission. This slow ing-up device is the same in construction and 25 represents a ratchet-wheel having a sleeve-hub 26, upon which is loosely journaled the sleeve-hub 27 of gear-wheel 24. Ratchet-wheel 25 is fixed to shaft 3.

28 represents a collar inserted between shaft 3 and the ratchet-wheel 25. Said collar is provided with a radial slot 29. Pivotally suspended from the rim of the gear wheel 24 is a member having the pawl 30, adapted to engage the teeth of ratchet-wheel 25, and a stem 31, adapted to engage into the slot 29 of the collar 28. Whenever the tumbler is disengaged, the pawl 30 will engage the ratchet-teeth of wheel 25, as shown in Fig. 6, and gear-wheel 24 will be fixed to shaft 3. When the tumbler is engaged, shaft 3 will be driven at a faster rate of rotation than gear-wheel 24, and pawl 30 will be auto- I matically lifted from engagement with the In operation assume that the gear-wheel 17 is unclutched relative to shaft 4. When ever the tumbler is raised, the shafts 3 and 4 will slowly rotate, being driven through the train of gears 22,, 23, 24, 9, and 21 in the order named, gear-wheel 21 being clutched .to shaft 4 by the mechanism corresponding with that shown in Fig. 6, and the tumblinggear 13 may be safely intermeshed at low speed with any one of the gear-wheels of the cone on shaft 3. When such tumbler engagement takes iplace, the clutch mechanism connecting sha 3 to gear-wheel 24 will be automatically unshifted, as previously explained, owing to the faster rotation of shaft 3 relative to gear-wheel 24; but as shaft 4 and gearwheel 21 will still be rotating in unison the clutch mechanism between them will remain in connection, gear-wheel 17 rotating. as an idler. If now the clutch 18 be shifted to fix gear-wheel 17 to shaft 4, shaft 4 will rotate relatively faster than gear-wheel 21, (gearwheel 6 being larger than the; intermeshing gear-wheel 17,) thus automatically unclutching the gear-wheel 21 from shaft 4.

The operation of the automatic clutches of gear-wheels 21 and'24 is practically identical. When the shaft rotates at approximately the same speed as the gear-wheel, they are automatically fixed to rotate in unison; but the relative speeding up of the shaft automatically unclut'ches the gear, which being -positively driven rotates idly on the shaft. It is only necessary that the ratio of speed transmitted between gears 17 and6be higher than" the ratio between gears 21 and 9.

The clutch members 17 and 18 are of the toothed or positive clutch order, and this type can beemployed and operated while the mechanism is in motion by reason of the automatic clutch-shifting mechanism between shaft 4 and gear-wheel 21. This is a distinct advantage.

ous thatone speed may be obtained while the In this arrangement it is obvitumbler' is disengaged through the driven gear wheels 22, 23, 24, shifting clutch 18 a second speed may "be obtained through the gear-wheels 22, 23, 24, 6, and -17 :By throwing the tumbler into commission and by shifting clutch.18 ten more speed changes may be obtained, with five gear-wheels constituting the cone. 1 In; the modification shown in Fig. 9 another; loose j'g'ear 17 has been added. on shaft diameter-gearing connecting shafts lated, gives an am 9, and 21, and by eaosse 10, so as to provide greater space on shaft 4 for the shifting clutch 18. This form adds six more speeds to the box, the operation being the same as before described. Five of these eeds are obtained by fixing gear 17 to sha t 4 and by shifting the tumbler into the step-gears. I Thesixth speed isobtained when the tumbler is disengaged, and shaft4 is driven by the gears 22, 23, 24, 10,-and 17. Thus with the s mple arrangement and. the few gears shown in 9 eighteen changes of speed can bc obtaine For brevity I have described the different 2 and 3. as a cone-and-tumble r gear system but it is not intended to limit the invention to a disposition of the different diameter-gears in the shape of a cone, as this arrangement is con"- venient, but not essenti ally functional. This arrangement is very compact, easily manipule range of speed changes with comparative y few gears constituting the train, and each change of speed may be accomplishedw th perfect safetywhile -the mechanism is in operation.-

Having described my invention, I- claim 1. In a variable-speed device, a;shaft,,a

diameter cone of different gear-wheels, means for selectively driving any one ofsaid gear-wheels, a second shaft, azloose-gean wheel thereon intermeshed with a gearwheel on the cone a-slidable clutch for fixing said loose gear-wheel to the second shaft, a

second gear-wheel loose on the second shaft and intermeshed with one of said cone-gears,

and an automatic clutch mechanism adapt- 1 ed to fix-said second gear-wheel to said second shaft when the slidable clutch is disengaged andJto automatically unclutch said second gear when the slidable clutch 'is engaged, substantiallyas described.

2. In a variable-speed device, a shaft, a cone of difierent diameter gear-wheels, means for selectively driving any one of said gear-wheels, 'a second shaft, a loose gearwheel thereon intermeshing with a relatively larger gear-wheel of the cone, a slidable clutch for fixing said loose gear-wheel to the second shaft, a second gear-wheel loose on the second shaft and intermeshing with one of said cone-gears, and an automatic clutch mechanism adapted to fix said second gearwheel to said second shaft when the slidable clutch is disengag d and to automatically unclutch said second gear when the slidable 3. In a variable-speed device, a first shaft, a tumbler-lever and gear-wheels thereon, a

' clutch is engaged, substantially as described. 1

second shaft, a cone of gear-wheels thereon adapted to be selectively engaged by the tumbling-gear, a constantly-intermeshing pair of gear-wheels connecting said shafts, the driven gear-wheel being loose, and an automatic clutch adapted to fix said loose gear to its shaft when they approximate the same rate of rotation and to unclutch said gear from its shaft when said shaft is driven relatively faster, substantially as described.

4. In a variable-speed device, a first shaft, a tumbler-lever and gear-wheels thereon, a second shaft, a cone of gear-wheels thereon adapted to be selectively driven by the tumbling-gear, a constantly-intermeshing pair of gear-Wheels connecting said shafts, the driven gear-wheel being loose, an automatic clutch adapted to fix said loose gear to its shaft when they approximate the same rate of rotation and to unclutch said gear from its shaft when said shaft is driven relatively faster, a third shaft, a loose gear-Wheel thereon engaging one of the cone gearwheels, a slidable clutch for fixing said loose gear-wheel to the third shaft, a second gearwheel on said third shaft intermeshing with one of said cone of gear-wheels and an automatic clutch adapted to fix said second loose gear-Wheel to said third shaft when the. slidable clutch is out of commission and" to be automatically released when the slidable clutch is engaged, substantially as described.

5. In a variable-speed device, a first shaft, a tumbler-lever and gear-wheels thereon, a second shaft, a cone of gear-Wheels thereon adapted to be selectively driven by the tumbling-gear, a constantly-intermeshing pair of gear-wheels connecting said shafts, the driven gear-Wheel being loose, an automatic clutch adapted to fix said loose gear to its shaft when they approximate the same rateof rotation and tounclutch said gear from its shaft when said shaft is driven relatively faster, a third shaft, thereon engaging a relatively larger gearwheel of the cone gear wheels, a slidable clutch for fixing said loose gear-wheel to the third shaft, a second gear-wheel on said. third shaft intermeshing with one of said cone of gear-wheels and an automatic clutch adapted to fix said second loose gear-wheel to-said third shaft when the slidable clutch is out of commission and to be automatically released when the slidable clutch is engaged, substantially as described.

6. In a variable-speed device, a first and second shaft, a cone and tumbler gear sysa loose gear-wheel tem adapted to connect said shafts, an independent train of gears between said shafts comprising an automatic clutch adapted to be thrown in when the tumbler is disengaged, a third shaft, a pair of loose gears on said third shaft intermeshed with two of the cone-gears, a slidable clutch for one of-said loose gears, and an automatic clutch for the second loose gear-wheel, adapted to be engaged when the slidab le clutch is disengaged and vice versa, substantially as described.-

7. In a variable-speed device, a first and second shaft, a cone and tumbler gear system adapted to connect said shafts in driving relation, a third shaft, a pair of loose gears on said third shaft intermeshing With two of said cone-gears, and having opposing clutch-faces, a double-face shifting cooperating clutch on the third shaft adapted to fix either of said gears to said third shaft, a third loose gear on said third. shaft intermeshing with one of the coneears, and an automatic clutch adapted to said third gear to its shaft when said pair of loose gears are unclutched, and to be automatically unclutched when either of said pair of gears is clutched to said shaft, substantially as described. I r

8. In a variable-speed device, a first and second shaft, a cone and tumbler gear system adapted to connect said shafts in driving relation, a third shaft, a pair of loose gears on said third shaft intermeshing with two of said cone-gears, and having opposing clutch-faces, a double-face shifting cooperating clutch on the third shaft adapted to fix either of said gears to said third shaft, a third loose gear on said third shaft intermeshing with one of the cone gears, and an automatic clutch adapted to fix said third gear to its shaft when said pair of loose gears are unclutched, and to be automatically unclutched when either of said pair of gears is clutched to said shaft, an independent train of gears connecting said first and second shafts, one of which is loose on its shaft, and an automatic clutch connecting said loose gear to its shaft and adapted to be automatically unclutched when said tumbler is engaged, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have her eunto set my hand.

' HENRY MoCOY NORRIS.

Witnesses: I

OLIVER B. KAISER, LOUISE BECK. 

